Sunday, February 24, 2002 - 12:27 a.m. Pacific
Music
Grammys with guts: This year's nominations bypass the usual megastars in favor of artists with lasting appeal
By Patrick MacDonald
Seattle Times music critic
Bono
For veteran Grammy watchers, this is a great year.
The annual awards presentation by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) has often been disappointing in the past, because sales seemed to be the deciding factor, rather than art or craft. Challenging, creative artists were often ignored while one-hit wonders and flavors-of-the-month walked away with the trophies.
Not so this year, as least in the major pop categories. None of the formula, business-as-usual megastars ? the Britneys, the Backstreet Boys, the 'N Syncs and the like ? were nominated for the top spots, and neither were any of the multimillion-selling, morally bankrupt rappers, or angry, macho rockers like Linkin Park, whose "Hybrid Theory" was the best-selling album of 2001, with 4.8 million sold (it has since gone up to 7 million).
Instead, the nominees for the top categories of album, record and song of the year are worthy, substantial works by artists who are either well established or are going to be around for a while. It's likely that the big winners at the ceremony Wednesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles (to be broadcast at 8 p.m. on CBS) will be veteran rock band U2 and exciting newcomer Alicia Keys.
U2 leads the
field with eight nominations, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Irish band won seven of them (in one category, for best rock song, it's competing against itself). Keys is nominated in six categories, the most important being best new artist, which she should win.
The contest for album of the year ? the top prize and the one given out last ? should go to U2 for its great "All That You Can't Leave Behind," because of the quality of its music and the fact that the band was the biggest thing going in 2001. Not only did the CD go triple platinum, but the band also mounted the biggest tour of the year, playing 80 shows in 56 cities (including the Tacoma Dome in April). The tour sold 1.4 million tickets and grossed $109.7 million.
And when lead singer Bono wasn't on stage or visiting the kids on MTV's "Total Request Live," he was out saving the world, campaigning to cancel the debt of Third World nations to the World Bank and other international lenders.
Another veteran act, Bob Dylan, is U2's main contender for album of the year. "Love and Theft" is Dylan's worthy follow-up to "Time Out of Mind," which won for best album in 1999. That brilliant disc had Dylan contemplating his own mortality, as he turned 60. The new disc examines a wider variety of issues, and isn't as accessible, so it may be a longshot.
The phenomenal "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack could also win most of the 12,000 NARAS members' votes in the album category, because it, along with the movie, re-established old-timey, traditional country music as a potent force in American culture. The disc is deep in variety and talent, featuring such artists as Alison Krauss & Union Station, Emmylou Harris and Ralph Stanley. It would be a credible, worthy victor.
Also nominated is "Stankonia," by melodic, clean-cut rappers OutKast ? a win for them would elevate and honor quality hip-hop ? and "Acoustic Soul" by newcomer India.Arie, who is an appealing if sometimes a too-precious artist.
Sheryl Crow is nominated for best female country vocals, along with Lucinda Williams, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood and Jamie O'Neal.
It's somewhat surprising that her album got the nod instead of that by another, far more substantial newcomer, Alicia Keys. But Keys is recognized in the record- (for artist and producer) and song- (for songwriter) of-the-year categories, for her moving "Fallin'," from her critically and commercially successful "Songs In A Minor" album.
Keys and India.Arie are both nominated in the prestigious best-new-artist category, along with Linkin Park, Canadian singer Nelly ("I'm Like A Bird") Furtado and singer David Gray. Keys seems a shoo-in, although the likable Furtado may edge her out. Or maybe this category is where voters will revert to their old ways and honor Linkin Park for its commercial success.
Because of the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" effect, some of the most intriguing contests are in the country-music categories, with slick country stars pitted against cutting-edge traditionalists. Lucinda Williams and Sheryl Crow are nominated for female country vocals, along with Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood and Jamie O'Neal. In the male-vocal field, multi-talented newcomer Ryan Adams ? who's primarily a rock singer ? is nominated, along with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Ralph Stanley and Lyle Lovett.
"O Brother" cuts show up in several country categories, but it's not nominated for best country album. Big sellers Tim McGraw, Trisha Yearwood and Diamond Rio are nominated, along with the veteran Willie Nelson.
With so many close, interesting nominees in the pop categories, the TV broadcast will be more suspenseful than most previous ones.
As always, one of the best things about the show will probably be the live performances. U2, Alicia Keys, the Dave Matthews Band and several "O Brother, Where Are Thou?" artists, including Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Ralph Stanley and The Soggy Bottom Boys, are set to perform. 'N Sync will join with dance-oriented hip-hopper Nelly, an interesting pairing. Hosting the show is comedian Jon Stewart.
Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312 or pmacdonald@seattletimes.com.
Copyright ? 2002 The Seattle Times Company
